Weekend hospitalization numbers hold steady

Emergency Medical Services also responds to 13 first aid calls between Thursday and Sunday

The number of students who needed to be taken to a hospital during Spring Weekend held steady from last year at 17, said Margaret Klawunn, vice president for campus life and student services and interim dean of the College.

Emergency Medical Services took nine students to hospitals Friday, including five who were transported directly from the concert. Seven students were EMSed Saturday, but none were taken from the concert. Only one student required hospitalization Thursday and none did Sunday.

Though Klawunn said it is disheartening to hear 17 students were EMSed, she is “glad (the number) wasn’t any higher.”

“A lot of messaging went out last week, so I hope that students paid attention to some of the safety messaging,” Klawunn said. “We’re always concerned when there is risky behavior.”

In addition to the students whom EMS transported to hospitals, personnel also responded to 13 additional first aid calls, Klawunn wrote in a follow-up email to The Herald.

Despite rumblings by attendees about increased security, Klawunn said no changes were made to security protocols within the concert area.

One student who became too physical in the crowd at Friday’s concert was removed, which may have prompted more attention from Green Mountain Concert Services personnel, Klawunn said.

The perception of more intense security protocols may also have arisen from a different system for entrance to the Main Green, she said. Just one entrance on George Street was open this year, as opposed to two in previous years, resulting in longer waits.

The shift was made partly to help manage bag checks, but the process backed up the line to Friday’s concert so much that students were asked not to bring bags to Saturday’s show, Klawunn said. Students reported that bag checks were not careful enough to be effective anyway, she added.

This year’s Friday concert also saw higher attendance than last year’s, creating further delays, Klawunn said.

Deputy Chief of Police for the Department of Public Safety Paul Shanley could not be reached for comment by press time Sunday evening, but he told Klawunn earlier in the day that he was unaware of “any major incidents,” she said. No arrests were made, but many exit signs were broken.

Klawunn said she “appreciate(s) all the effort everybody put into making it a fun and safe weekend,” citing the work of Brown Concert Agency, DPS, EMS, the Office of Student Life and the Student Activities Office, among others.